Wire cable



C. C. SLIJNDERLAND Filed May`24, 1932 WIRE CABL `2 Sheets-'Sheet 1 a v A oR M cef/1,5 TTORNEYS Patented-Oct.

salinidad, New nriinswiek; J., ssignor to John A. RoeblingsSons Company,

Application.Mayf24,1932, serial' 10.613,1533 oaiinsn.` o1.l14,j,2z A p n `The inventionfin its entirety includes an., inner' i `This invention relates to wire` cablesformed'poi agroup" of parallel wire strands, such` as are used forI bridge cables and otherheavyloadework.

i ilnithemaking of parallel `strandcables hereto' fore, it hasbeen ycommon practice to-build up'the cablefto aicrosssection roughly hexagonal. `.The cross-section is then filled-outltocircular by.` the` as'semblywrappedt` means of large-1fillerszancl` `with wire, :,Aniobjection to.this'construction-is that if the fillers are made of iwood orrother inert material, the `fillers are apt vto deteriorateandrthe wrapping Wire `may become loosened, in time, by

being embedded inthe iillers,` so'that (eventually moisture can penetrate to the strandssfIly the" wires are laid up helicallyiinthe strands, the moisture 4will penetrate through rthe strandsfand the diiculty is increased. `Onthe other hand, the'cost of metal llersof this typeis almostiprolf hibitive, `due to the excessiveiweightpf metal.

It is an object of the present inventionto provide a wire .cable of :the parallelfstrand type, such that danger of moisture penetratingithe strands t is practicallyV eliminated` andwithout excessive cost or weight." s :11"1 i With this general object and others in view, the

invention consists in the features, combinations,

` details of construction and arrangements of parts that will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and then more particularly pointed out.

. In the drawings: L n

Figure 1 is a plan view, with parts broken away and removed, of a wire rope or cable constructed in accordance with the invention in its preferred form. Y

Referring to the drawings, the cable here illust 45 trated as an example, such as a mainbridge an example comprises a `helically wound continu- 'of the hexagon are supplemental strands I4, of

smaller diameter, that serve to round out the 55 cross-sectionto a shape roughly circular.

Figure 2 is a sectional view (enlarged) taken on` Figure `3 is an enlarged lcmgitudinal` sectional` exists between end Figures 4 and`5 `are fragmentary views showing t 'walls form a substantiallyA "in Fig. 3, which shows three there isa triple overlap that font-he wrapping later r described: The "complete `filling support is madeup of va pluralityof individual fillers, alternating'in specificvconstruction toaccord with tliecablestrands.` Thus, there y are sixf'what mayrzbe termed"` side fillers forthe t sides vof t the .-rough hexagon formedfbycable strands ,I ll` and-six what may. be :termed cornerl fillersfalternating withxtheside iillers."` :Each `side llerxiFigss-2 and `et). comprisesna hollow metallic structure having, in.crosssection=, i

an arcuate outer wall 16; Opposite the'centerfof v thislouter `wall is an i'nnerarcuate` Wall i I'l that if embraces one' ofthe cableV strands I0.` Between these two `walls thev filler has `arcuate `connecting- Walls I8, I9, that partially embrace the` adjacent g strands II).` The inner wall I1 is formedwith a strengtheningand supporting rib 20. l

Each corner filler (Figs. 2 and 5) comprises a hollow metallicstructure having an outer arcuate `wall 2|, an inner arcuate wall 22 embracing a and connecting arcuate f walls 23, 24. The inner wall 22 is self -supporting `The end wall 2l of each f supplemental strand I4 on the outer wall 2|. corner ller forms, in effect, a continuation of the4 end wall I8 of the adjacent sideV ller in embracing one cable strand `I0 and a like relation walls 23 and I9.

`The outer Wall of each sidefiller forms, in effect, a continuation ofthe outer wall of the adjacent corner filler, so that the several outer uninterrupted cylin drical support completely enveloping the cable, as

appears in Figs.g1 andfZ,

`The inner protectivewrapping here shown as ous metallic tape 21, e. g., of zinc. Thistape is so dimensioned and so wound that each turn overlaps the preceding turn about two-thirds of the tapewidth. Thus, as `illustrated more' clearly turns, a,`b and c, gives three thick# nesses of zinc covering along the cable.

' Wound over this protective tape is the usual t outer winding of wire 28 which maybe round vvirepasshovvnfor of other suitable form. As ap` pears more clearly in Fig. 3, the outer wire winding practically seals the/several laps of the tape winding and there is substantially no chance of any moisture penetrating to the cable strands. The metallic fillers yare not liable to deteriorate and are light enough to avoid undue metal cost.

These llers, moreover, provide arm unbroken support flor the tape.

v plicate side llers 29 in f areyspaced one from another circumferentially.jV

, 33 in the form of ,In thomodinoauon,n'iustrnted in Figs. 6 andI '1,

associated with the strands are reverse-handoutallic elements roughly 3|, 32, respectively, but the several'oute'r walls To` round out a cylindrical support for the'windingl of protective tape, the gaps between the holz low metalllers are closed by supplemental iillers inserts of some inert material. `'Ihe pr 1 tectivewinding of metallic tape and the outer Windingof wire are the same asin the embodiment first described. Y

It will be understood than, while the invention l s beenillustrated only in preferred forms with t the-vcable vstrands formed of wire or wirestrands and the invention isespecially 'laid'y up helically, n applicable in connection with such strands,y the claims-not thus-.limited are intended to include, alsonstrands formed of wire or/ wire strands laid up p arallel-,-z .nd'A that other modifications may be made in the 'constructions illustrated-within the invention defined bythe claims.

v vWhaisclaimedis: l g f w :11.@Ink a wire cable .comprising"` avv plurality of rallel f strands, 'llers associated withv the strands, said llers comprising metallic elements having arcuate outer-walls, the .several-outer walls forming a; substantially/unbroken support` enclosing-said strands, an

inner 'protective wrapping Aofgmetallic .tape wound' on,` said supporti in overlapping turns', and an outer sealingwrapping ofjwire. on'said tape found helically-at approximately rightganglesto th'e-'c'ablefwithv the successive wraps abutting to'seal the cable. v

the form of hollow me.,` n triangular in cross-seci Y .tion, and similar reverse-hand duplicate corner. have arcuate outerrwallsV of moisture.

, 2. A Wire cable comprising a plurality of parallel strands of substantially equal size so arranged as to have a roughly polygonal outline in crossround out a circular cross-sectional outline and a protective wrapping sealing the cable against the entrance of moisture.

3.. A wire cable'comprising a plurality of parallel strands laid up in a substantially vpolygonal group, smaller strands each partially lling the polygon, preformed holcovering over the fillers the entrance of moisture. C

k4. A Wire cable comprising a plurality of Aparallel strands laid up in a substantially polygonal groulmsmaller strands each partially filling the space at a corner of the polygon, `preformed holtrance` of moisture. .1. 5. Awire cable comprising a plurality of parallel strandsof substantially equal size so arranged as to have 'a roughly polygonal outline in crossv section and al plurality of smaller strands located atV the corners 'ofsaid polygon, said cable having ciatedwith the strands to round out a cnfcular cross-sectional outline and a protective wrapping sealing the-cable against the entrance CHARLES C. sUNDERLANp. 

